Survey finds varying approaches to financial call centers

Northwestern Financial Review, Aug 15, 2001

According to new research, bankers' views on the role of call centers vary significantly. When asked to describe their operation, 65 percent labeled it as a "cost center," while 22 percent described it as "profit center." Another 32 percent said their call center functions as a contact center, while "cost-reduction center" was the category chosen by another 24 percent.

To rate their performance, 40 percent of the centers use quality as a standard, 31 percent are numbers-driven and 29 percent devote equal focus to quality and numbers. The American Bankers Association and Frontline Group, a Nashville-based consulting firm, produced the study. Responding organizations varied greatly in asset size.